Gas controlling valve and timer



March 18, 1958 MUELLER 2,827,119

GAS CONTROLLING VALVE AND TIMER Filed March 10, 1954 INVENTOR. EQv/N H. MUELLER jawiwy z /zww ATTOPA/EYJ.

United States Patent C GAS CONTROLLING VALVE AND TIMER Ervin H. Mueller, Grosse Pointe, Mich.

Application March 10, 1954, Serial No. 415,404

2 Claims. (Cl. 161-9) This invention relates to a valve for controlling the how of fuel gas and a timer for controlling the length of time the valve is open.

In a number of gas burning appliances and other gas burning equipment, timers are associated with controlling valves so that the timer can be set to the end that the valve remains open until the end of the predetermined time and is then closed. The timer usually involves a type of clock mechanism inter-related with the valve to cause or permit the valve to close at the end of the selected time interval.

The object of this invention is to provide a timer and valve arrangement so associated with each other as to occupy a minimum of vertical and horizontal space. The body of the valve and the case of the timer are mounted together in overlapping relationship. This provides a compact construction and makes both the timer and the valve accessible through a relatively small opening in an enclosing panel. Another object of the invention is to arrange the operating mechanism which operably interconnects the timer and valve so that friction on relatively movable parts is minimized.

The invention is disclosed in the structure shown in the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a general view showing a timer and valve assembly mounted with respect to the casing of an appliance.

Fig. 2 is a view partly in section showing some of the timer and valve mechanism and illustrating an interconnecting lever.

Fig. 3 is a view in section taken substantially on line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a partial view of enlarged form showing timer parts in the position for holding the valve open.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the valve taken substantially on line 55 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is an elevational view of the timer.

Fig. 7 is a view partly in section and with parts cut away illustrating how the valve may be held open.

The housing or casing of a suitable gas burning appliance is illustrated at 1 and it may have a panel 2 with an opening 3 therein. The valve and timer assembly is mounted at this opening; the valve generally illustrated at 5 is positioned within the housing and the timer generally illustrated at 6 is positioned within the opening so that its face and operating handle are accessible.

The valve, as shown in Fig. 5, has a body 10 formed with an inlet passage 11 and an outlet passage 12 for connection to suitable conduit, and a chamber 13 provided with a valve seat 14. A valve member 16 has a sealing washer 17 for engaging the seat and the valve member is urged against the seat by a coil spring 18 backed up by a cap or plug 19, screw threaded to the body. The valve member has a portion 20 slidabiy guided in a recess 21 of the cap 19 and the valve member has a stem 23 which fits into the portion 20 and which stem extends slidably through an opening 24 into a chamber 25 defined by a wall 26 of the body. A

2,827,119 Patented Mar. 18, 1958 sealing member 27 seals the clearance between the stem and the opening 24 and the chamber is normally closed by a cap 30. The wall 26 is provided with two oppositely disposed openings 31. Mounted on the valve body is a lever 35, one arm 37 of which extends through an elongated opening 36 in the wall 26 to engage the end of the valve stem 23 and the other end of which 38 is for engaging a portion of the timer. The cap may have an extending part which overlies the lever as indicated in Fig. 2. The pivot for the lever is illustrated at 39 and is carried by the valve body.

The case of the timing mechanism is mounted on the side of the valve body. For this purpose the side of the valve body is made flat, as shown in Fig. 2, and the case is secured to the valve body by screws 46, two of which are shown in Fig. 5. A closure cap 48 fits over the case 45 and is secured thereto by screws 49 and the timing mechanism generally illustrated at 50 is mounted on the cap and it has a projecting stem 51 provided with an operating handle 52. The cap is provided with suitable indicia 54 indicating time intervals. Thus, the timer is supported by the valve.

It will be noted by reference to Fig. 5, that the timer case and valve body are mounted in overlapping relationship relative to each other. The valve body thus lies substantially in or at least mostly in an area defined by the projected contour of the casing. This could be stated in the reverse manner except for the fact that the casing usually has a more symmetrical contour than the valve body and has usually a greater area. Thus, the timer and valve body occupy a minimum of a vertical and horizontal space providing a compact construction.

The timer has a disc 55 with a notch 56 mounted on the timer shaft 57, and a lever 58 pivoted as at 59 on the timer frame has a pin 60 for riding on the periphery of the disc and for moving into the notch 56. The lever is acted upon by a spring 62 anchored as at 63. The lever 58 has a portion 63 with a curved surface 64 for engagement with the end 38 of the lever 35.

When the valve is closed, as shown in Fig. 5, the valve member and stem have moved upwardly, the lever 35 shifted counter-clockwise, as Fig. 2 is viewed, and the pin 69 reposes in the notch 56, as shown in Fig. 3. To open the valve the handle 52 is turned clockwise as Fig. 6 is viewed to an appropriate position as indicated by the increments of time; this rocks the disc 55 counterclockwise, as Figs. 3 and 4 are viewed, thus rocking the lever 58 to the position as indicated in Fig. 4, in turn rocking the lever and depressing the valve to open position against the spring 18. As time continues, the disc 55 moves clockwise until the pin 64} drops into the notch 56 and the valve is closed.

It will be appreciated that as the lever 58 rocks about its fulcrum 59, there is some sliding motion of the surface 64 on the surface of the end 38 of the lever. Also, the lever 58 takes different angular positions relative to the end 38 of lever 35. The curvature of the surface 64 is preferably such that the relationship with the portion 38 of the lever establishes no wedging or inclined plane function. The curve at the point of thrust contact is normal to the line of thrust exerted by the lever 35; or, in other words, where the axis 39 is horizontal the curve at the point of thrust is normal to a vertical line drawn through the point of thrust.

Needless to say the valve body is fixedly mounted as, for example, by means of its connection to conduits. The cap 48 may be removed carrying with it the timing mechanism leaving the housing 45 in place. This exposes the screws 46 for removal of the housing should it be necessary to remove it. The housing and timer may be replaced in, reverse manner.

Shouldit' be'necess'ajryordesirable to hold the valve open the "cap 30;"which"merelyfri'ctionallygripsthe-ex tension 26, may be removed,- the end 37 of the lever depressed, and a suitable pin or the like '10 passed through V having a portion between its ends pivoted on said valve body; saitfseeond lever"'extendingfin and being; pivoted" for swinging in a plane transverse to'said plane of rotation of said disc, said second lever having one end the"alignedopenings filf'andf overithejend37fofftlie 5 portion extending through said opening in said casing lever 35} to thus 'hold thezvalveistenra depressedj with" the valvein open positions For thispnrposetheendi'glr ofthe lever may-'begrooved orfrecessed' tGIe'ceiVeQth'ei pinas indicated; T

I'clai1n:i- 'J V e p 7 1; In combination, "af'valve. having; a body with an inlet andan outlet, andfhavingaivalve' member n ov-" able to open and ic1osedpositions"forcontrolling'Ithe flow-of fihid" through thejvalve', 'js'aidfvalve 'rnember lfaLv-f j and engaging a portion of said first lever, said second lever having an opposite end portion engaging said valve 7 stem, said valve stem beingi movable in a direction generally parallel to sai1.'l. ;;lane,of said disgfor. moving said v 10 valve member "responsively To turning movements of said disc. i a v v t a .t

2. The combination define d jn clain'r 1 wherein first spring means isprevrdeflno urgesaiawaive member to- "ward closed position, and ,tos urge-said one end portion ing a valve stern projecting"outwardlyffofisaid valve" 15 of said second lever against said portion of said first body; a timingm'echanismfla=casiflg for the 'tiiningrnechanism, arotatable operating handleon 'one jside ofsaid' casing, means securing the opposite 7 side" of said casing; directly :to, and in"interfac'ialf relationship with one side of the valve body was: the valve 'hodyis" positioned 20 to lie generallywithin the areadefined-byv the 'projec ted contour" of the" casing, said timing mechanism including a rotatable disc having an acircular peripheral portion, means operatively interconnecting, said disc 'and' said operating 'han dle for'rotation in generally parallel planes; 5

lever, and wherein second spring means is provided to urge said means on said first lever into engagement with said disc. V

1 ReEerencs'Gitd in tlie file'o'fthi's patent 7 UNITED STATES PATENTS" Mar. 5,1940 

